English 11 Unit 1-3

​English 11 1-3

The American Revolution

Setting up a Nation​

1-1 Due Date 2/1

1-2 Due Date 2/6

1-3 Due Date 2/9

1.4.3 CST Due 2/12

                                                                                                  

                                                               

​Objectives

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• Identify the elements of a Supreme Court decision.

• Analyze and evaluate a Supreme Court decision.

• Write an evaluation of the reasoning of a Supreme Court decision.

• Demonstrate an understanding of when to use reference materials.​

​1.3.1 Read

​The readings in this section are really interesting.... You'll read the Preamble to the Constitution which is only a paragraph. It takes us right into the Bill of Rights, which delineates the first 10 amendments to the Constitution.

The third reading is an article "Let's Give Up on the Constitution" which sparks a debate as to whether we really need a Constitution.

Don't forget to fill in your Study Guide!

​As you may remember, the American Revolution began when the British government — which still controlled the American colonies — demanded new taxes that many colonists refused to pay.

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After British troops killed or injured almost 100 American militiamen in 1775, the Continental Congress — America's first government — formed a navy and a committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. America was now a country in its own right, equal to Britain.

​1.3.2 page 2

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​Delegates from all 13 colonies came together to form the Continental Congress. This was the beginning of our federal government.

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They drafted the Articles of Confederation. They helped the colonists work together to decide which powers would stay with the individual colonies and which would stay with the Continental​ Congress.

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They soon realized they needed a leader, a tax base, and a court system.

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1.3.2 page 3​

​Creating the Constitution

​They knew they needed an overarching guiding document, so they formed a Constitutional Convention. This group of people created a new ruling document (the beginning of the Constitution) based on the Articles of Confederation.

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The members of this convention ran into issues over government representation. One group backed the Virginia Plan which required representation based on a state's population. The others backed the New Jersey Plan, which said each state would have the same number of representatives.​

1.3.2 page 4​

Reorder

Reorder the following

• US Constitution drafted

• Articles of Confederation drafted

• US Constitution drafted

• US Constitution ratified by the states

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

​The Preamble . . . 1.3.2 pages 6 and 7

​promises that the American government belongs to the people. It organizes it into three major parts.

​Bill of Rights 1.3.2 page 9

​The Constitution is a living document. It can be changed, or amended, so it can remain relevant and useful. Amendments are passed with approval from 3/4 of the states.

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In 1789 James Madison introduced the first 10 amendments to Congress. They were ratified in 1791 and have become known as the Bill of Rights. They focus on an individual's rights.​

​Checks and Balances 1.3.2 page 10

​You might be wondering just who is in charge of making sure the Bill of Rights and the rest of the Constitution are respected. The Constitution is interpreted every day by people in the three branches of the government, which balance one another so that no single branch has complete control over the government.

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This system of checks and balances prevents the government from becoming a dictatorship and ensures that the promises of the Constitution are upheld.

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​The Supreme Court 1.3.2 pages 11 and 12

​The Supreme Court's main job is to provide judicial review, or a review of laws to make sure they align with the Constitution.

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Today, the Supreme Court remains the highest authority on the Constitution. This group of nine men and women has passed down some of the most important decisions in our nation's history, from outlawing racial discrimination in Brown v. Board of Education to ensuring that suspects know their rights before being interrogated in Miranda v. Arizona.

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​1.3.4 Read Tinker vs. DesMoines

​Read these materials carefully. This is the story behind a Supreme Court decision that made history. You must have a deep understanding of these materials to successfully complete the 1.3.8/1.3.9 Practice.

​The Tinkers wore armbands to school in December 1965. Three years later (November 1968) it had worked its way up to the Supreme Court. The decision came in February 1969.

​1.3.6 Study page 1

​When the Supreme Court decides a case, the majority opinion and the dissent are important because they become a record of how the Constitution should be applied in the future. Lawyers and other judges refer to these decisions to guide their own work on new cases, and our legal system becomes more consistent.

These decisions are what allow the Constitution to be a "living document." It's not literally alive, but because of the analysis, study, and interpretation that the Supreme Court implements, the Constitution remains relevant and vital, even over 200 years after it was written.

​As you work through 1.3.6 Study look for certain words. Make sure you understand their meaning in the context of this assignment. In addition to majority opinion and dissent:

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summary pages 2 and 3

Constitutionality page 4

precedent​ pages 5-7

judicial review pages 8​ and 9

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​1.3.8 and 1.3.9 Practice

Evaluating an Argument​

​The textbook section of 1.3.8 gives you much support on how to write an essay...

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Introduction----Hook and Claim​ pages 3 - 6

Body Paragraphs ---​including evidence, counterclaim, transitions

pages 7 - 12

Conclusion-----​ page 13

Open Ended

What does it mean to evaluate? How does the word apply in this assignment?

​Caution!

​You cannot be successful without CLOSELY READING the materials!

You CANNOT just write generalized fluff and earn a respectable grade. Your essay needs to actually SAY SOMETHING.

Students must cite from the texts to support statements made.

If this seems very daunting or confusing to you... let me know.

I can help point you in the right direction.

​1.3.8 The assignment

​In this activity, you'll be writing an essay evaluating the reasoning of the Supreme Court majority opinion and dissent in the case of Tinker v. Des Moines. On what grounds did each group of justices support their opinions? Which group has the stronger argument?


Be sure to check the rubric and again...... go through the pages in 1.3.8. They offer lots of help.

​There is a lot of complex information in today's lesson.

Easy Exit Slip ----

Message me in the Chat----

What is the majority decision as pertains to actions of the Supreme Court?